


Take a Flight upon my Raven Wing~

by Merlioske, Sunfall_of_Ennien



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: /1/ Cut Palm, Alternate Universe - High School, Arthur is Awkward and Does Not Know how to Flirt, Arty was gone SO fast, Drowning of Sorrows in the Milkshakes, F/M, Familiars, Good Morgana (Merlin), I mean he just wanted to know the New Boy, Idiots in Love, Knights and Lights, M/M, Magic AU, Merlin and Morgana being the BFFS we all deserved, Merlioske-friendly, Minor Stalking Tendencies if you squint reaaaaaal hard, Minor blood warning, Minor pining, Modern AU, Students, They're in school is what i'm saying, also one, alternative universe, familiar, he pretty so pretty, so soft, so um, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:13:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27424027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merlioske/pseuds/Merlioske, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunfall_of_Ennien/pseuds/Sunfall_of_Ennien
Summary: “I am chaos incarnate,” Merlin whispered, his face attempting seriousness, but the smile tugging at his lips gave him away.“You are not chaos incarnate, you absolute doofus,” Arthur said through a laugh, shoving Merlin lightly.
Relationships: Leon/Morgana (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 25
Kudos: 68





	Take a Flight upon my Raven Wing~

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Excaliburstark](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Excaliburstark/gifts).



> i hope you enjoy, [excaliburstark](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Excaliburstark/pseuds/Excaliburstark) for this was an absolute joy of a prompt to fill!
> 
> ~
> 
> the biggest of thank you to [Katie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pelydryn/pseuds/Pelydryn) for a marvelous beta as always, i'd be lost without you, darling <3

~x~

“Who’s that?” Arthur, Captain of the Knights, asked with an intrigued note to his voice as he stared across the courtyard.

“That would be your sister.”

Arthur snorted at the response. Go figure Leon would only have eyes for the dark-haired girl blowing elaborate smoke clouds from the tip of her cigarette.

Leon was a great bloke,  _ usually _ . Arthur had known him since they were both in diapers - they grew together, trained together, and, when they were old enough, joined the Knight Program together too. Arthur had no doubts that once they were done, they’d go into service side by side as well. There’s no one he’d rather have at his side than the loyal, dependable Leon. Except when his sister was in the nearby vicinity. One look at her and Leon’s brain sort of… melted.

It was unseemly, is what it was. But, alas, they were standing alone, and Arthur had to work with what he had.

“And who’s that beside her?” He tried for a patient tone. Knew his condescension shone through. Hoped Leon wouldn’t notice, and, considering he was still making cow-eyes at Morgana, that was a safe bet. 

“Oh. That. That’s the new kid. I heard he joined the Lights just last week.” Leon sounded wistful and far-away. His eyes never leaving Morgana’s laughing figure.

Arthur hummed, stamping his excitement down. “And what do we know about him?”

“What are you girls gossiping about without me?” 

Arthur grunted when the full force of a body slam, well, slammed into him in a Gwaine-shaped package. Gwaine was another Knight and also a friend… in as much as he  _ could  _ be a friend, considering he spent more time on the Other Side, conversing with the Lights. Gwaine, in his own words, did not do ‘discrimination’. Knight or Light, if they were flirtable with, then by the gods, Gwaine would flirt with them. And more, in some --- well, _ most ---  _ cases.

Before Arthur could figure out a response and while Leon continued just… gazing, all star-eyed, Gwaine followed their line of sight and crowed.

“OooOooOoh, is the Princess interested in the rebel then? Somehow I doubt you’re admiring the same curves our dear Leon here is.”

That caught Arthur’s attention even more than the, frankly disgusting, insinuation Gwaine had thrown out about his damn  _ sister _ , truly, the man was beyond shameless. “The rebel?”

Gwaine nodded at the gaggle of Lights now shuffling into a surprisingly even circle around Morgana and the new addition to their fold. “Merlin there, obviously.”

_ Merlin?  _ “Obviously. Why rebel though?”

Gwaine hummed and then gave a nonchalant shrug. “From what I’ve managed to gather, he got kicked out of his previous school. It’s actually a bit weird he got accepted here, what with your father’s policies being as strict as they are.”

Arthur winced at that - it was no fun, having his father as the schoolmaster of his place of learning. Especially if said father was Uther Pendragon. Shaking off the heavy thoughts, Arthur made an inquisitive noise. “Any intel on the  _ why _ he got kicked out?”

Even as he asked, he kept his eyes trailing the new---  _ Mer _ lin’s movements. And just then, Merlin turned and caught his eye with eerie accuracy. Arthur felt a shiver run down his spine and gulped.

“Fighting, drugs, public sex, your guess is as good as mine, Princess.”

Arthur’s lips twitched upward. “Interesting.”

~x~

It wasn't  _ really _ stalking, Arthur reasoned, even as he continued to change his routine in minor ways, just so he could catch an occasional extra glimpse of Merlin. 

Knights and Lights didn't have any lectures together, not until the last year of their schooling and while, luckily, Merlin  _ was _ in his year, they still had half-a-year and a whole entire summer left before the Knight and Light Bonding classes began. 

As such, Arthur was not left with too many choices, was he? 

So here he was, camping outside, under a tree, shoveling a stale sandwich down his throat, instead of eating with his Knights, back in the comforts and warmth of the Knight cafeteria. 

But it would be worth it because in just a few more minutes, the Lights would be out of class too and then ---

"You're not exactly sneaky, for a Knight."

Arthur promptly choked on a pickle. Eyes tearing up, he heaved a breath and raised his head. The air then seized in his lungs because from afar? Well, from afar he had found Merlin… intriguing, especially when the light hit his hair  _ just so, _ and made it glint with the tiniest hint of that deep blue and then he would smile and --- well. Merlin from afar? Had  _ nothing _ on Merlin from up close and Arthur found himself a bit… mesmerized.

"You okay down there?" 

Apparently, he had taken a bit too long gazing at the Light and now had a concerned Merlin waving a hand in front of his face, his brow scrunched up all cute like. 

"Well, if you hadn't sneaked up on me like a thief in the night, I'd be better, wouldn't I,  _ Mer _ lin?" Arthur tried for condescending and snarky and missed by about a mile, falling straight into dazed and breathless instead. 

Merlin, who Arthur was expecting to scowl and curse him into having a tail or something, laughed instead. "I do have light steps, I'll grant you. But aren't you Knights supposed to be all ready all the time?" he asked, smiling good-naturedly. Plopping beside Arthur, he dug into his messenger bag and pulled out an apple with a joyous whoop. 

"I'm… it's lunch" was all Arthur had to say to that, prompting Merlin into another peal of laughter. Arthur liked seeing Merlin laugh. He laughed with his whole body. It was a precious sight. Arthur never wanted it to end. 

"That it is indeed. Apple?" He offered the fruit to Arthur, smile still going strong. It seemed they were going to promptly ignore the fact that Arthur had just addressed someone he did  _ not _ know --- and had no need of knowing --- by name. Arthur was very okay with that. 

The next moment, however, well… for the life of him, Arthur had no idea what possessed him to say the following, but --- 

"I don't like apples. I prefer peaches." 

There was a twinkle of amusement in Merlin's eye. "Not a problem." His eyes glowed gold and the sight took Arthur's remaining breath clear away. When the glow faded, instead of the apple, a fuzzy peach sat on Merlin's open palm. 

Arthur gaped and Merlin grinned. "Would you like a peach, Ar _ thur _ ?" the Light offered again, and Arthur took the fruit with numb fingers. 

He bit into it, his eyes never leaving Merlin's, and made a surprised noise. 

Merlin was very obviously biting down a smile. "What is it?"

Arthur couldn’t have contained his grin if he’d tried. "It still tastes like apple." 

Merlin laughed and laughed and laughed. 

In his dizziness, Arthur forgot to realise that Merlin had never asked for  _ his _ name before using it either. 

~x~

They became inseparable soon after. Arthur's Knights, who were usually the most chill squad, bristled for the whole entire second it took them to get introduced to Merlin. And then… Then after Arthur's spot in the courtyard under the tree had become Arthur and  _ Merlin's _ spot in the courtyard under the tree, they suddenly had to acquire a table because Morgana turned her nose up at sitting on the ground. And what Morgana wanted, Morgana got. 

But as Merlin failed to stop steadily eating lunch with Arthur; and the Knights followed Arthur, and Morgana and a few other Lights followed Merlin, well. 

One day, they came out and there it was, a table and some benches, large enough to fit them all. Right there. Had Arthur not known any better, he would have said it was magic. 

Except, Merlin  _ was _ magic and he assured Arthur it wasn't. 

And then there was the fact that a completely blushy Leon somehow almost always ended up sitting next to Morgana and… ah, well. 

Arthur bit down a smile and turned back to Merlin - who was always much more entertaining than even watching the slow trainwreck that was Leon's attempt at wooing. 

Merlin actually had started a betting pool going - about when Leon would finally manage to stammer out an invitation to something, anything, really. 

Arthur was not the only one that had money on the option 'Morgana gets fed up and invites him out herself'. 

His and Merlin's opinions only differed on the  _ when _ , on that point. 

~x~

Merlin won when an extremely red-faced Leon came into the courtyard with a beaming Morgana on his arm after the Christmas holiday. 

Arthur, who had spent the bigger part of said holiday over at Merlin's, eating his mum's fabulous cooking and getting his ass handed to him at video games by a laughing-until-he-cried Light, didn't even mind losing. 

~x~

Arthur worried. Fretted, actually. They were all going to celebrate New Year's together at the Pendragons’ Mansion. That wasn't the fret-inducing moment. Merlin was going to be there. Which, granted, was also nothing truly unexpected. Arthur, however, had Made a Decision concerning his friend and  _ that _ was what was bothering him. He had known Merlin was special since the moment he had laid eyes on him that first time. He had known he wanted him since the Peach Incident. Question was. Wanted him as  _ what.  _ Arthur was torn. He could either ask Merlin to be his Light starting next year, and pray it was enough, or, and this was the tricky part, he could ask him to be his. Just. His. The problem was… Arthur wasn't exactly  _ good _ at expressing his… feelings. Daddy dearest, as Morgana so lightly put, had made sure of that. 

Thankfully, for both Arthur's nerves and Morgana's sanity, Merlin was, well,  _ Merlin _ , and had promptly taken Arthur's fret by the proverbial horns and straight up chucked it out the window when the time came. 

~x~

Arthur was fidgeting. He was fidgeting and deflecting all night, and it was driving Merlin up the wall. 

"Gana." He tried again, knowing full well it would yield the same results but still needing to try because it was bloody New Year's and his Arthur was acting a pillock. 

"Yeeeees, Merlikins?" 

Merlin scowled. "Drop the sugar and spill, you harpy." When it looked like Morgana was about to snark instead of giving him information, Merlin took a step closer, his eyes narrowing. "Spill, or I will make sure you wake with a tail to match those claws. You know I'm capable, do  _ not _ test me."

Morgana took a moment to look at him all thoughtful and considering and then shrugged. "Artykins has finally located his balls it seems."

Merlin's eyes widened and his hands closed on Morgana's shoulders in an iron grip. "Are you playing with me right now? Because if you are, I---"

Morgana let a very unladylike snort at that, suppressing a wince at the strength of his grip. "Oh yes, right after I get threatened by the one person I actually know could and _ would _ pull off said threat, I'd prank him about something he's been pining for for months. Because I'm just that big of a bitch." Her pout turned thoughtful then. "Well, I mean, I  _ am _ , but not to my friends." She gave Merlin a smile. "Go get him, gods know it'll take him another year before…" 

Merlin was gone before she could even think of finishing her thought. Morgana grinned - her brother wouldn't know what hit him. 

~x~

Arthur was pacing. He was consequently freezing his balls off, what with it being below zero and what not, but that was  _ not _ the point. He had stepped out for a moment, in an attempt to, to what, collect himself? He didn’t even know anymore.

With a frustrated huff, he ran his shivering fingers through his hair and turned on his heel, determined to march right back in there, find Merlin, grab him and just --- 

He did not manage to finish his internal pep-talk, for as soon as he turned, he ran smack dab into Merlin instead, no searching required.

Arthur opened his mouth and… no sounds came out.

Thankfully, this  _ was _ Merlin and as such, needed no words to know exactly what Arthur was attempting to say anyway. With a brilliant, blinding grin, he stepped in, close,  _ so close _ , and slid his hands over Arthur's chest, wrapping them around his neck. His eyes had stars shining in them and Arthur couldn't breathe. 

"I…" he tried, anyway, needing to get it out,  _ needing  _ Merlin to hear him say it. 

But his Merlin was magic, and how Arthur still managed to forget that at times was beyond him. 

"Yes," Merlin whispered, gave him one last second to stop him -- not that Arthur ever would, he wasn't  _ that _ big an idiot despite what Morgana kept on repeating -- and then leaned in, closing the distance between them and pressed their lips together. 

_ There truly were fireworks exploding _ behind Arthur's closed eyelids as Merlin's tongue slid slow and wet over his bottom lip. And then Merlin was chuckling into the kiss because apparently Arthur had said that  _ aloud, _ and Merlin was going  _ such a dollophead _ and Arthur's eyes were opening and then he was laughing too. The sky above them was shining in bright, sparkly lights. The new year had come, and they went right back to kissing, with rainbow starlight shining above them. 

~x~

Merlin was pouting. He knew he was pouting, yet he could not, in good conscience, stop.

“What is  _ wrong _ with you, Ems?” Morgana groaned, throwing a cherry from her milkshake at his head.

Merlin promptly caught it with his mouth and chewed before giving an explosive sigh. “I miss my boyfriend. It’s summer vacation and the only time I see him is during the weekends! Sure, we drive all over and I do so love the traveling bit, but as soon as it’s Monday he’s gone and there I am, stuck with you lot for the entire week again!” Merlin felt his pout grow, and did his very best to drown his sorrows in his own milkshake.

Morgana exchanged a tentative glance with Gwen (another Knight of Arthur’s) and took an extra large gulp of her milkshake. 

Merlin’s eyes narrowed. “You know something. What do you know and why don’t  _ I _ know it, spill, you harpy!” His milkshake bubbled menacingly and Gwen tossed it a wary look.

“Look, I… I shouldn’t say anything, but Arty’s been killing himself this summer. With work!” she added quickly, seeing the thunderous expression taking over Merlin’s face. “He’s been working double shifts and---”

“But why.” Merlin’s question didn’t lilt enough to cross over from demand.

Morgana only forgave him because she could see the genuine distress on his face. “Petrol isn’t cheap, Merls” was her simple answer, and after gaping like a fish for a while, Merlin thumped his forehead on the desk following it with a loud groan.

~x~

Arthur stifled a yawn as he fiddled with his keys. He was in the process of dragging his exhausted body up the steps to his father’s summer house where he spent his weekdays. His eyes felt so heavy he could barely keep them open. That was probably why it took practically stepping  _ onto _ his boyfriend for him to realise he was there.

“Merlin?” Arthur asked, confused, yawning midway through.

Merlin rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around Arthur’s neck. “You are such a clotpole” was his greeting before he kissed Arthur softly.

Arthur melted into the kiss, humming contently and paying exactly zero mind to the insult - he was too damn tired to.

~x~

Merlin put him to bed, against all the feeble protestations. Arthur had, after all, been practically sleep walking at that point. He was out before his head so much as was halfway to the pillow. Merlin snorted at the blissed-out expression on his boyfriend's face before tucking the covers lovingly around him and placing a soft kiss on his forehead. Afterwards, the Light took one look around, huffed, and set to straightening the house up, his eyes glowing gold and his magic  _ pouring _ out of him. With all the pent up energy he had lately, it didn’t take him long at all to finish. Merlin checked to see if Arthur was still resting - reassured by the soft snores coming from the bed, Merlin moved onto the kitchen, frowning at the Void that was Arthur’s fridge.

Merlin sighed, turned on a heel and left for the nearest shop. He didn’t have Arthur’s keys, per se, but one quick glow of his eyes and the door was locked more securely than any little metal key ever could.

~x~

Arthur woke refreshed and relaxed and smelling something divine wafting through the open doors of his bedroom. With a satisfying crack of his back, he rolled out of bed, pulled on a pair of sweats and wandered out, following his nose.

A shit-eating grin split his face when, upon arriving at his kitchen, he found his boyfriend humming under his breath while doing little butt wiggles as he drifted between the table and the stove.

Arthur walked over, wrapped his arms around Merlin’s waist and placed a slow kiss on his nape. “Morning.”

Merlin, to his credit, did not startle one bit, just leaned into the embrace, his happy humming continuing.

“Sit. Breakfast’s almost done, and your coffee’s on the table already.”

Arthur chuckled lightly at the scrunching of Merlin’s nose at the mere word ‘coffee’. Merlin was an avid tea drinker and was the only reason Arthur’s home was now  _ packed _ full of the different types of drinkable dried grass.

Arthur himself, on the other hand, drank coffee and coffee only. While out in public, it’d be black, one sugar. But when he was alone or with Merlin, well. Arthur took a swig of his lightly colored drink and made a satisfied happy noise - Merlin, for all his distaste of said drink, was the only one to always make his caramel macchiato perfectly each and every time.

After downing half a cup, Arthur’s eyes drifted to the clock on the wall and he frowned. “Why didn’t you wake me up earlier? We won’t make it if we only leave---”

Merlin placed a plate before him and Arthur’s eyes widened - it was a full on English Breakfast containing  bacon fried to perfection, sausages, eggs, black pudding, baked beans, tomatoes and mushrooms, and a golden piece of toast. Arthur gaped. “Wha---”

“Eat now. I did not just spend hours slaving over the stove only for you to let it all go cold. Eat now, talk after,” Merlin ordered mildly before turning on a heel and going to grab his own steaming mug. It always amused Arthur, the fact that Merlin’s tea (and, granted, now his coffee too) never quite grew cold. Which, in fact, meant that the whole order he just gave was more or less a mute point, but still, Arthur bent over his plate and dug in - he hadn’t had anything since lunch yesterday and was absolutely famished. Merlin watched him wolf down the food with a fond smile and a chin propped on his fist.

Finally, Arthur put his fork down with the satisfied noise of a nice and full stomach and raised his eyes to his boyfriend. “How come you didn’t join me?”

Arthur looked as Merlin shrugged one shoulder, all fluid motion that always made something in Arthur’s belly tighten. He continued his observation as Merlin finished off his tea before standing and grabbing Arthur’s plate.

Merlin’s movements were jerky now, all his fluidity seemingly evaporated in an effort to make sure he did not smash anything. Arthur frowned. Stood up, and crowded his boyfriend against the sink, placing his hands on the counter and locking him in.

“ _ Mer _ lin,” he breathed into his ear and revelled in the shudder it produced. “What’s wrong?”

Merlin turned off the tap and turned in Arthur’s arms, his hands landing on his hips. He was biting his lower lip, and Arthur got sidetracked for a second… or two. Raising his hand, he freed his boyfriend’s abused lip with gentle fingers and frowned again. “You’re nervous, why are you nervous?”

Merlin took a deep breath. “We need to talk.”

Arthur's world crashed around him.

“It’s not a bad talk, I promise!” Merlin rushed to say, seeing how Arthur paled immediately and took a shaky step back. “Arthur, listen to me!” Merlin flailed a little when Arthur didn’t seem to be hearing him. “Would I make you English bloody Breakfast if I was planning on dumping you?!? Honestly.” With a huff and a shake of his head, Merlin grabbed his still silent boyfriend and dragged him out of the kitchen, up the stairs and into his bedroom.

His eyes flared golden for a second, just as he closed the door, and Arthur’s eyebrow rose - Merlin had cast a privacy charm.

“Okay, what gives, spill. You never privacy my rooms.” Arthur burst out as soon as the glow of Merlin’s eyes faded. Something was going on, and it had his  _ boyfriend _ , his  _ Merlin, _ all skittish. Arthur didn’t care who or what he’d have to finish to stop it, but he was ready. 

Merlin looked at his determined expression and snorted. “Down, cowboy, no need for guns just yet…” He plopped down on Arthur’s bed and patted the spot beside him. When Arthur sat, Merlin took a deep breath before speaking. “So I talked to Morgana…”

Arthur groaned. “Whatever that harpy said, it’s a lie. You  _ must _ know not to trust a word coming from her mouth by now!”

Merlin promptly ignored him. “She told me about the double shifts for gas money.”

Arthur crossed his arms, a scowl firmly in place. “So? You like traveling, I like taking you places. Gas is a bitch though, so…”

Merlin shook his head. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

Arthur blinked, genuine confusion all over his face. “Why would I? You’re my boyfriend, it’s my job to take care of--- BLOODY OW!”

Merlin whacked him solidly upside the head. “You are such a clotpole.”

“Still not a word,  _ Mer _ lin!” Arthur huffed with a pout, rubbing his aching head gingerly.

Merlin rolled his eyes. “Right, that’s enough of that nonsense then. I’ve contacted your employer this morning - it turns out, he  _ doesn’t _ need all that extra help after all. Who woulda thunk, huh. Anyways, you’re officially done with this summer’s working thing.”

Arthur sputtered. “Did you… did you seriously get me fired?”

Merlin bit his lip again. “More like… Quit in your name? Look, I’m sorry, truly… I just...missed you okay? The only time I’ve gotten to see you lately was during the weekends, and even then you’ve been so damn tired and  _ still _ driving us all over the place, and at this rate we’d  _ never _ get to… and I…” He turned away, shrinking in on himself. “I missed my boyfriend is all, and I can get your job back if you really want it...” he finished quietly, and try as he might, Arthur just didn’t have it in him to get mad.

“I see… well, it’s a good thing I missed you too then, huh?” Arthur hummed, poking Merlin in the side and grinning when his boyfriend turned to him beaming.

“You’re not mad then?”

Arthur shrugged. “Nah. What with all my summer training  _ and _ work I truly was neglecting you. Which is beyond stupid, considering I only began the stupid job so I could take you places.” Here his face fell. “Speaking of… if I’m out’ve a job, that means…”

Merlin began shaking his head before Arthur could finish. “Leave that to me. I… I’ll take care of our travel arrangements from now on.”

Arthur’s eyebrow rose. “Oh?”

Merlin’s grin was shaky when he motioned for Arthur to stand up. “Yeah, I’ll just need a teeny tiny little promise from you first.”

~x~

“A teeny tiny promise he says,” Arthur mumbled, poking at the bandage covering his palm. “A blood oath is a teeny tiny promise, is it?”

Merlin rolled his eyes, grabbed Arthur’s wrist and placed a soft kiss on the bandage. 

Arthur’s frown lessened. He yelped when a fresh T-shirt flew right at his face in the next moment. Catching it from the air, Arthur raised an eyebrow at his puttering-about boyfriend. “Am I to change, then?”

Merlin nodded distractedly, rummaging in  _ his _ \--- yes, he had a drawer and it made Arthur preen like nothing else --- drawer and pulling out this and that before stuffing things in his pockets.

Arthur scoffed and pulled the shirt on. As soon as he had, a pair of jeans came at him. Arthur huffed and rolled his eyes at the smirk that was pulling at Merlin’s lips.

“All right, I’m all dressed. Care to tell me what your brilliant plan of traveling without gas-money is?”

Merlin stopped. Wrung his hands a little. Bit his lip. Took a deep breath and nodded to himself while Arthur watched on, bemused. “Close your eyes and tell me the first dream location you’d visit if you could.”

Arthur’s eyebrows shot up. “Time limit? Money li---”

Merlin shook his head. “ _ Dream _ location, dear. No limits. Just. Give me first place that pops into---”

“Ko Samui.”

Merlin blinked. “Thailand. That’s your go to dream location?”

Arthur shrugged. “There’s beaches, there’s food, it’s exotic and, most importantly, it’s cheap.”

Merlin snorted. “For someone whose father literally  _ owns _ the academy we study at and half the government besides, you are ridiculously frugal.”

“I am _not_ my father.” The reply was so icy it made Merlin wince. Yeah, mentioning _Lord_ Pendragon Senior anywhere near Arthur was never too bright an idea. Merlin gnawed on his lip thoughtfully before nodding resolutely and stepping into Arthur’s personal space. Arthur was still seething silently, his father always more of a trigger than he’d like. He’d been working on it, he _had_ , it’s just… “Merlin?” he asked curiously, all his ire forgotten, with a hot, hard body pressed against his chest.

Merlin wrapped his arms around Arthur’s waist and beamed. “Hold on, darlin’~”

Not one to not listen when Merlin got  _ that _ particular glint in his eyes, Arthur wrapped his arms around his shoulders and… well, the startled yelp was all that was left echoing in the air. For between one breath and the next, Merlin’s eyes sparked gold, he sent Arthur a wink and then… then he  _ pulled _ .

~x~

Arthur blinked. Turned in a slow circle. Blinked again. He rubbed his fingers over his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. The nausea caused by a fucking  _ teleport, _ of all blasted things, did not helping in the least.

To his credit, Merlin kept watching Arthur process in silence, the only background noise the sounds of the waves.

“Ko Samui?” Arthur asked, a few minutes after staring vacantly to the waves crashing into the beach.

“Ko Samui,” Merlin confirmed quietly, wringing his hands together worriedly.

Arthur huffed. Then heaved a big ass sigh and grinned at his boyfriend. “I am  _ so _ not doing anymore shifts for gas money this summer.”

Merlin beamed.

~x~

Beach was fun, Arthur had discovered. Especially beach abroad. Especially beach abroad that was shared with his boyfriend. Arthur was having so much fun, in fact, that it took him a while to notice that while he himself had shed all the possible extra layers to galivate in the waves, Merlin… had not.

“What’s this then,  _ Mer _ lin? You’ve some sort of a sun allergy I should be made aware of?” Arthur needled good-naturedly, pulling at the hem of Merlin’s T-shirt. Merlin did not look amused. Actually, he looked… almost nauseous with worry. Arthur frowned. Stepping up to his boyfriend, Arthur wrapped his arms around Merlin’s neck, his fingers playing through the hair on his nape. “Em? What’s wrong?”

Merlin shuddered out a sigh, relaxing at the nickname. “It’s nothing I just… I can’t really… um… undress, in public.”   
Arthur snorted. “Yeah because your clothes drop so damn easy in private.”

When Merlin flinched instead of laughing together with him, however, Arthur’s frown deepened. “Okay, Em, what gives. You were all skittish all morning and then I sliced my palm open for you and you’re  _ still _ skittish. Do you need me to bleed again before you’re comfy enough to talk to me proper for once or…?” He let his words trail off, not wanting to put any pressure on Merlin. He genuinely didn’t mind that Merlin hadn’t so much as removed his shirt in front of Arthur yet. He was perfectly content with going at Merlin’s pace. It wasn’t like they couldn’t do... _ things _ even with their clothes on, after all. Not that he’d mind even if they were to  _ not  _ do things. At all. Or ever, for that matter. Merlin was what was important. Things, Arthur could and would deal without; Merlin, on the other hand? Non-negotiable. 

Arthur’s ponderings were interrupted when Merlin visibly shook himself off and nodded determined, seemingly having come to some sort of a decision.

“You’re right. We’re dating, you made an oath and I’m almost ninety-nine percent sure you’re my Pair so it’s not like you won’t find out sooner or later and while yes, I  _ have _ been right to be all cautious but I  _ do _ trust you a ridiculous amount so---”

Arthur blinked while trying to process the barrage of words Merlin seemed rather determined to bury him under. When Merlin took a breath in between his no-stops speech he placed heavy hands on Merlin’s shoulders.

“Merlin. Enough. You need to breathe. Breathe for me, sweetheart.”

Merlin inhaled loudly, his chest expanding, and Arthur grinned. “Good boy.”

Merlin made a face at that, but did offer Arthur a tentative smile. Arthur counted it as a win it was.

“I need to show you something.”

Arthur nodded and immediately stepped in, pulling on his shirt and wrapping his arms around Merlin.

“Wha---” Merlin blinked confusedly, and Arthur’s eyebrow rose.

“You’re taking us home I’m assuming?” When Merlin continued to regard him in wonder, Arthur bristled. “You said you couldn’t undress in public so I just assumed…”

“And decided to drop your one day in your dream vacation spot just like that?” Merlin asked, voice soft, watching as Arthur’s cheeks colored.

“Well you’re more important, aren’t you? You’re the most important.”

He sounded completely genuine and Merlin melted right there, in his arms. Just a little.

“You’re kinda wonderful, Arthur Pendragon,” he whispered softly, leaning in to kiss Arthur’s sputtering away and  _ pulled _ .

~x~

“What do you know about Familiars?” Merlin asked, as soon as they got back. Arthur was sitting on his bed, watching as Merlin paced in front of him. “I know that Lights that manage to reach level three by the time they’re twenty-five… get one,” Arthur answered dutifully, and Merlin nodded, prompting him to continue. Arthur shrugged. “I wish I had more to tell you, Em, but, well…”

“That’s all you know,” Merlin finished for him and Arthur nodded. With a huff, Merlin turned to lean his back on Arthur’s desk and crossed his arms. “Familiars are…” Here he paused, clearly trying to arrange his thoughts. “Sort of like guides, is the best I can come up with. When a Light reaches level three, they get to specialize and for that, they need help. Specialized courses are brutal, beyond brutal, some say, and so, the Lights get Familiars, to assist them on their paths. With me so far?”

Arthur nodded, curious. There was practically no information about Lights and their Familiars, especially for Knights to get their hands on. Merlin was as good as hemorrhaging state secrets here and Arthur was not about to stop him.

Taking a deep breath, Merlin continued. “It takes five Masters and a month of preparation of the Light Acquirer to get the Ritual of Summoning set up. When it is completed, a Spirit either comes to the Light or does not. If it doesn’t, there’s no second chance. If it does, however, the Light gets a guide and a companion for the rest of their lives.”

Arthur nodded again, this time less surely. Not that this wasn’t the most intriguing of stuff, but…  _ why _ was Merlin telling him all this?

“When not on this plane and in their corporeal form, Familiars usually rest in a pendant or a ring or some other piece of spelled jewelry that the Light never takes off.” Merlin moved slowly, uncrossing his arms, stepping away from Arthur’s desk. Each movement careful, deliberate. “The piece usually passed down through generations. Usually, they are quite the powerful charm in and of itself.” He walked over to where Arthur was sitting, and stopped between his open legs. 

Arthur swallowed, his throat dry. He had a sneaking suspicion he knew where this was going. “You don’t wear jewelry.”

Merlin’s lips quirked in a smirk. “No, I do not.”

“Then again,” Arthur continued, voice soft as his hands settled on Merlin’s narrow hips loosely, “there’s not really much that’s usual about you, is there.”

Merlin’s smirk grew. “No, there is not.”

Arthur swallowed again, his eyes glued to Merlin’s. “You can trust me, Em. You know that, right?”

“I do trust you,” Merlin breathed, wringing his hands together.

“Will you show me?” Arthur’s voice was gentle, his question just that, a question. He left his face as open as he knew how, letting Merlin  _ see _ he didn’t have to do anything he didn’t feel comfortable with doing.

Merlin bit his lip. Took a deep breath and… nodded. As he reached for the hem of his shirt, lifting it up slowly, Arthur’s head spun - the level of trust Merlin was showing him? It was staggering. Especially if what he was about to be shown  _ was… _ Merlin finished taking off his shirt then, and before Arthur had so much as a moment to take all that pale expanse of skin in, he turned around, and Arthur heard himself gasp. There, spanning the expanse of both of Merlin’s shoulder blades, was a tattoo of a Raven. The bird was beautiful - black as night, his wings spread in flight, his eyes a molten gold. Eyes that - as Arthur gazed at them - blinked. 

Arthur opened his mouth to speak, let out a shuddering breath instead. Raised his hand to touch, paused, ran a finger over the edge of one wing. Merlin shivered and let out a quiet little groan which caused Arthur to pull his hand back as if burned. It took a moment, but since Merlin didn’t offer any verbal objections, Arthur returned his finger to Merlin’s back and resumed his soft touching.

Merlin’s voice was quiet as he spoke, and Arthur didn’t think he was breathing as he strained his ears to catch every word. 

“His name is Archimedes. Would you… do you think you would… I mean…”

Arthur felt himself smile at his boyfriend’s trembling back and winked at the Raven that was very obviously preening under his careful petting. “Could I meet him one day?” he asked simply and watched as tension bled out of Merlin’s shoulders. 

“You… You’d want to?” Merlin sounded so unsure, so worried, that Arthur was  _ this _ close to simply wrapping him up in his arms in order to calm him and reassure him.

Instead, however, he just dragged his finger across the other wing, watching the Raven carefully. “Only if that’s something you two would want as well.”

Merlin didn’t speak again. Rather than words, his back started glowing little by little until it was shining so bright Arthur had to close his eyes. When the glow was gone, Arthur opened his eyes and blinked. A Raven was looking at him. Perched on Merlin’s shoulder. Arthur blinked again. And then he smiled and offered his hand to the bird. “Well hello there, Archimedes. It is an honour to make your acquaintance.” 

  


Archimedes gave him what could only be considered a cheeky look and nipped his finger softly in greeting before taking off from Merlin’s shoulder and flying to perch on Arthur’s wardrobe instead.

“So how long has he been with you?” Arthur asked, without taking his eyes off the Raven. He could see Merlin shrugging in his periphery.

“Um… well. Always?”

Arthur swirled around at that. “Come again?”

“Yeah we… sorta came into the world together? Mam was pleased, or, more like, amused, but da flipped. If not for Lamyria, that’s  _ his _ familiar, by the way, interfering and reassuring him thrice over that Arch was in fact a familiar… well… let’s just say it might’ve ended rather… not well.”

Arthur turned his eyes back to the raven, his expression awed. “You’re… magnificent, aren’t you? Just like my Merlin here.”

Archimedes flew down and perched on Arthur’s shoulder then, patting him on the head gently with his wing. Merlin laughed outright. “He approves of you.” His smile was so beyond soft Arthur felt his knees wobbling. “He doesn’t accept anyone but me and mam, usually.”

Arthur nodded in obvious admiration. “Ridiculously strong, smart as hell  _ and _ with wicked good taste then. I think I approve of him as well, if that’s the case.”

Merlin snorted while Archimedes preened.

“Arthur.” Merlin’s voice was strained again, making Arthur pause in his tickling of Archimedes and turn to focus on his boyfriend again. “No one can know. If my da learns that  _ you _ know? That…”

Arthur made a face. “Yeah, no thank you, I do rather enjoy breathing. And, considering I’ve sorta made it my own personal mission to avoid Lord Balinor whenever possible, I think we’re good.” 

Merlin was biting his lip again, and Arthur had to put conscious effort into not pushing his half-naked boyfriend to the bed and doing the biting himself.

“And you’re not… freaked out?”

Arthur blinked. “What am I supposed to be freaked out about?”

Merlin rolled his eyes. “Oh I don’t know, having some freak with near unlimited powers as a boyfriend?”

Arthur snorted. “Oh yes. Merlin the Evil and the Scheming… the world trembles before him.”

“I am chaos incarnate,” Merlin whispered, his face attempting seriousness, but the smile tugging at his lips gave him away.

“You are  _ not _ chaos incarnate, you absolute doofus,” Arthur said through a laugh, shoving Merlin lightly. “What you are is kind,” he muttered, towering over Merlin, with a hand splayed across his chest, pushing him softly onto the bed and clambering after him. Archimedes, obviously not liking being jostled about and not paid attention to, took to the wardrobe again. “And lovely,” Arthur continued quietly, trailing wondering fingers across the pale expanse of Merlin’s chest. “You’re generous and fun,” his fingers found a nipple and twisted it gently, making Merlin arch his back. “You’ve a wicked sense of humour.” Arthur’s fingers found his other nipple and gave it the same treatment.

“ _ Ar _ thur…” Merlin panted. He was turning a very lovely shade of pink, and Arthur was very curious to see how far he could push that blush down.

“You’re loyal and accepting and you always see the best in people.” Arthur leaned down, trailing his lips over Merlin’s collarbones, his neck, his jaw. “You’re insanely powerful and, to be quite honest, your power’s got me hotter than I’ve ever been before.”

Merlin’s eyes gleamed then and a simply sinful smirk pulled at his lips. “Oh has it now…” he hummed, splaying his hands over Arthur’s hips before moving or doing magic or, maybe, both, Arthur thought dizzily, and flipping their positions.

Arthur blinked up at his smirking boyfriend, eyes glued to the gold still fading from Merlin’s gaze and very slowly, very deliberately, licked his lips.

Merlin growled, his pupils dilating at the sight. “Little tease.”

Arthur groaned, reaching for Merlin, running his fingers across his collarbones and shoulders with light touches. “Me? Tease? If I’m a tease, then what are you? Do you have  _ any _ idea how hard it’s been for me all these months? Having you so just, just close enough yet not being able to touch, to actually---”

Merlin interrupted his rant by taking both Arthur’s wrists in hand and slamming them to the bed above his head. Arthur moaned, all breathless and trembly and Merlin swallowed against a dry throat.

“You…” he tried, looking Arthur in the eye, searching his face for, for something, while his grip tightened around his wrists and Arthur  _ whined _ , low in his throat, forcing a pang of molten heat pool in Merlin’s abdomen. 

“Merlin,  _ please _ …” Arthur breathed, and Merlin’s control  _ snapped  _ \- Arthur’s clothes melted off of him like liquid while Merlin’s jeans evaporated into thin air, leaving both of them deliciously naked on top of Arthur’s --- crimson and lined in gold --- bed sheets. Merlin used to cackle every time he laid eyes on the extra monstrosity. Now, however, he had to admit, Arthur was  _ made _ for sheets like that. He looked like sun against a crimson backdrop, shining gold reflecting on his hair and skin and… Merlin told himself firmly that drooling was not an option.

“ _ Mer _ lin…” Arthur was whining now, rolling his hips in tiny little hitches and  _ oh _ did those rolls send sparks straight up Merlin’s spine.

“What do you want, love, come on, tell me.” Merlin leaned over his panting boyfriend, looked as Arthur’s pupils blew wide and dark at the proximity, at Merlin’s tone and  _ good gods he’s magnificent… and all  _ **_mine_ ** , Merlin thought, wild and exhilarated and feeling so on top of the world he felt he could take down armies, could stop tides. “Tell me what you need and it’s yours,” he breathed into the space between their mouths and Arthur  _ sobbed _ and it was insane --- they hadn’t even done anything yet and he was just… so  _ gone _ already, so wrecked, Merlin’s head spun. And then Arthur spoke and Merlin bluescreened.

“I want you… I want you in me, Merlin, I---” Arthur wheezed when Merlin collapsed on him with a groan, their bodies pressing together  _ everywhere _ .

“You can’t  _ say _ things like that, Arthur, good gods!”

Arthur’s chuckle tickled at his ear when he spoke. “Why, can’t handle it, Em?”

Merlin huffed, raising his head, his eyes sparkling gold already. “I’ll show you who can’t handle…”

“Before you do that, though…” Arthur was biting his lip, his cheeks flushed crimson, and Merlin’s eyebrow rose.   
“Hm?”

“Could you um… maybe ask Archimedes to go Ifeellikehe’swatchingusandIjustcan’t---” 

Merlin had to bite his own lip at that - hard - otherwise he would have burst out laughing. “You heard him, Arch, private party, off you pop.” Merlin grinned at Arthur’s obvious discomfort and then winked at him when Archimedes cawed in what was very obviously a laughing manner.

“Sorry, Arch…” Arthur mumbled into Merlin’s neck and Merlin was just… so damn smitten with this boy he could barely contain himself.

“Don’t worry, I’ll help you make it up to him.”

Arthur beamed and Merlin’s breath caught.

“Are you…” he tried asking then, had to clear his throat before being able to continue. “Are you sure?”

Arthur nodded and Merlin let out a breath he wasn’t even aware he’d been holding. Letting go of Arthur’s wrists, he dragged his fingertips down Arthur’s neck, to his collarbones slowly, caressing his skin with every touch. Arthur reached for him and Merlin’s eyes flared gold - a second later Arthur’s arms were slamming right back to the bed, over his head, held in place by shining golden tendrils. A full body shudder ran through him at that and Arthur whimpered, then groaned, his eyes falling shut as he tried to shuffle enough to hide his face in the crook of his elbow.

“Don’t…” he whined, his voice soft and so very unlike his usual boisterous self Merlin was getting a bit of a whiplash.

“Don’t what, love?” It was obvious that Arthur was embarrassed, but Merlin, for the life of him, just couldn’t figure out why. And then it hit him. Oh, but  _ that _ ? That he could work with. Then again, pushing too hard would not be too bright a move, so, Merlin took a deep breath and went for honesty. “I’m sorry I did that without asking first. It’s just that you so much as touch me and I’m gone.” Arthur was peeking at him through half-lidded eyes now, so Merlin made sure to catch his gaze before continuing. “And I want to  _ savour _ this. If you promise to not touch me, I’ll let you go.”

“Don’t. I… I like it.” Arthur sounded mortified, but Merlin grinned, and placed a quick peck on his lips in reward. 

“Very well. Now, would you like the regular kind or…” he asked, moving to pull out a bottle of lube from Arthur’s drawer to hold in one hand while wiggling his fingers on the other. Arthur blushed crimson and Merlin’s grin grew. “Alrighty then~” he hummed, tossing the bottle aside and catching Arthur’s gaze again. His eyes lit up slowly and he watched Arthur watch his fingers get slowly coated with shimmering golden liquid.

“Con-convenient, innit…” Arthur whispered and Merlin nodded, silent, all his concentration on  _ not coming this instant _ .

Arthur’s legs fell open, an invitation, a demand, and Merlin stumbled between them, more than willing to accept. He ran his dry hand over Arthur’s inner thigh, a caress within an exploration, and watched Arthur gulp.

“Have you ever…?” Merlin’s question trailed off, making Arthur huff and then pout, and then wiggle impatiently when Merlin refused to touch him further.

“Yes. I have.” When Merlin  _ still _ looked reluctant, Arthur took a deep breath. “I’ve had my fingers inside me. I pushed them in, I fucked myself with them imagining it was you doing the fucking. I --  _ ah _ !”

Two of Merlin’s slick, strong fingers were in him then, moving sure and deep and  _ curling _ and Arthur yelped, shuddered all over, lost himself in the sensation.

Arthur gasped, choked on Merlin’s name, forced his eyes open and froze - Merlin looked  _ wrecked _ .

“Ar _ thur _ …” he whined and then Arthur could move again, could twist his hips, could wrap his legs around Merlin’s waist and pull him in, in,  _ in. _

“ _ Mer _ lin…  _ please _ …”

With a curse the kind he should not have known, much less used without a fiery blush and a stutter, Merlin pulled his fingers out, still gentle, still kind, and his eyes blazed golden again, and that weird, shining slick dripped down his palm as he slicked himself up, eyes firmly on Arthur, panting beneath him.

“Rea---” he tried asking, but Arthur was nodding already, his answer a breath.

“ _ Yes _ .”

Merlin slid home with a grin, tearing moans from them both. “Gods, Ar _ thur _ , you feel… I---” He was shaking or the bed was shaking or maybe the whole bloody  _ house _ was, but Arthur was talking again and it didn’t matter, nothing mattered but Arthur...

“Move move move, Em,  _ move _ \---” Arthur babbled, feeling like he’d go crazy if… Merlin  _ moved _ . Arthur fell apart.

~x~

Arthur returned to consciousness with a slow blink.

“Hi.” Merlin was beaming, loopy and loose, from where he was perched on Arthur’s chest.

“Hullo.” Arthur blinked again, wrapping his --- obviously freed sometime after the mind-sizzling orgasm --- arms around his boyfriend.

“So… that was…” Merlin trailed off, biting his lip, his eyebrow doing that Thing it did when Merlin attempted to hide his fretting.

“Mmm…” Arthur hummed in agreement, still far too out of it for full-blown sentences.

“I was thinking…” Merlin started and Arthur frowned immediately.

“Uh-oh.”

Merlin smacked him on the chest half-heartedly. “Prat.” But it came out far too affectionate. Merlin pouted at himself and Arthur grinned.

“So? Thinking, you said?”

“Right!” Merlin refocused, nodded and continued. “Well. I was thinking. We’re sorta awesome at this whole couple thing.”

“Mhm?” Arthur didn’t even bother attempting to figure out where it was that Merlin was trying to go with this.

“And the sex is…” he trailed off, his eyes glazing over.

Arthur smiled lazily, running his fingers through Merlin’s silky locks. “It is indeed.”

“So…” Merlin gulped, and he was… worried, it seemed. But he was also brave. So fucking brave Arthur couldn’t breathe at his awe at him sometimes. And so, his brave, brave boyfriend continued. “If we Pair…”

Arthur froze. Then his eyes snapped open wide and after gaping a second, he gasped. "With my skills with sword and your magic, we're going to be unstoppable! We're gonna be stars!"

"We're gonna be legends!" Merlin cheered right back, beaming, and with a stutter of his heart and a look at his shining love, Arthur thought that maybe… maybe they already were. Just a little bit. 

~x~

**Author's Note:**

> comments are food and we be HUNGY, people, HUNGY Q~Q  
> xoxoxo


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